Still
by Virginie24jb
Summary: Kate could barely breathe. She knew she had to remain perfectly still. Her life depended on it. Castle's too since he had refused to leave her side. What happens when Kate steps on a mine that works as the trigger for a bomb?
1. Chapter 1

_This fic is based on the first spoilers that were revealed for episode 5x21. At the time, all we knew was that Kate and Castle would have to remain still because of a bomb._

_It's just something I had on my mind that I needed to get out. I hope you'll enjoy it._

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**CHAPTER 1**

Castle had a bad feeling about this. He wished there were some back-up, just in case... Their investigation had led them to suspect a man who was pretty fond of explosives. It was almost a passion for him. The guy was unpredictable.

They parked the car in front of a hangar, probably a stake out for his munitions. They had no idea what to expect and were ready for the worst as Kate cautiously walked in first, holding her gun. Castle sneaked his head from behind her and did not look reassured as he glanced inside the room. This time he would have gladly waited in the car. But he couldn't let her go in there alone.

"Clear," Kate whispered as she put her gun away. "He's not here."

"Yeah well this guy is a former mine-clearing expert," he said walking to an even darker part of the hangar. "He could have filled the room with C4 and other traps, just waiting for us to walk right into his little-"

"Castle," Kate said.

"Yeah I know, I'm paranoid. But you've got to admit-"

"Castle!" she exclaimed with a shaky voice.

He turned around and saw she hadn't followed him. She was still feet away, a look of utter panic on her face. He followed her eyes as she looked down. Kate was barely able to breathe as she saw the device beneath her foot.

She had felt it. She had stepped on a little metallic plate that was even smaller than her foot. It wasn't totally stable as there seemed to be something else beneath it.

"Okay don't move," he said walking slowly towards her.

"Thanks for stating the obvious!" she said nervously.

"What the hell is that?"

"I think I just stepped on a triggering mechanism. I step out of this... it goes off," she said looking to her right where there was a casing with wires connected to it, where a red light was now shining.

"How do you know?" he asked with a lump in his throat, hoping she would be wrong for once.

"Okay, call Esposito tell him we have a situation. He needs to send the bomb squad. Right now!"

Castle obeyed without questioning her this time. He had been right. There could be traps anywhere and Beckett had just stepped on one.

# # # # #

What a smart move. This way, every evidence would be destroyed. Every weapon, every munition... and every witness.

"What is it?" Castle asked scrutinizing the piece.

"It looks like a combination between a land mine and a standard bomb. Basically, I'm the detonator... taking my foot away is like pushing on the button," she explained.

"Really? They make those?"

"This guy does... We knew he was pretty inventive when it came to explosives."

"Yeah, that's why I asked we don't go alone!"

"Look, Castle, I need you to walk out of here," she said trying not to show her panic.

"No way," he retorted.

"Castle, get out! That's an order."

"Are you serious? You really think I'd leave you alone like this? No," he said looking deep into her eyes. "We're partners," _and much more_ he thought. "I'm not leaving you."

She had mixed feelings about this. She wanted him to get out, in case the worst happened. Kate didn't want him to witness her possible death. What would be worse, she did not want her careless act to cost his life too. And yet she couldn't help but feel relieved to have him by her side.

"Fine. But I need you to step back. Just a little," she said softly.

She thought it was a good compromise. He would be there, with her, but maybe far enough to stay out of the deathly blast in case it blew up. But given how strong-headed he was, he wouldn't see it that way. Castle stepped forward.

"I am _not_ leaving you. I am _not_ stepping back. We're in this together," he said holding out his hands. "It's okay, they're on their way."

"It's gonna take a few minutes for them to get here..." she sighed.

Kate did not know how long she could remain still. Her leg was already itching. A cramp would come soon. It was just a matter of time.

"Let me take a look," Castle said ready to kneel down.

"Castle..." she said nervously, as though someone was about to pull on a Band-Aid.

"I won't touch, I promise," he reassured her.

"Really? 'Cause you've got the habit of touching a lot of things you know... and being a little clumsy. It's not really a good combination next to a bomb... Just saying."

"Thanks for your trust," he said getting down at her feet to take a closer look at the wires. He couldn't help it. Kate winced when she saw him take a wire in his hand and go through them, trying to see what each of them was connected to. "Why can't they just put an on-off button!" he grumbled. "It would be so much easier..." he sighed.

"Maybe that's why they don't do it... It would be a little _too_ easy."

"I mean who uses wires and cables nowadays? Don't they know we've invented wifi, bluetooth-"

"Okay Castle, could you be a little more serious?" she called to order.

"Sorry, my coping mechanism is rushing back. You know me."

"Yeah well... as much as like you staying light and fun in such a critical situation, how about you look at those wires you hate so much. What do you see?"

"Okay, hold on," Castle said going through them one by one. "Hm, I see a blue one going from beneath that little plate to the casing... a red one, I don't know where it goes. A white one... Why not just pull them all at once?" he suggested.

"Sure!" she mocked him.

"Yeah?" he asked seriously, looking up at her.

"No!" she yelled. "Don't!"

"Well, it worked pretty well last time I did it..." he said remembering how he had saved New York City from a certain deathly fate. "Oh, by the way, you could have worn a dress today... That little adventure would have been even more enjoyable! At least from my point of view," he said smiling, as he eyed up to her.

Kate was not laughing. She was scared and he could feel it. He nodded as he understood that they were past the little laugh phase. They needed to face it. The chance to get out of there was slim. Castle stood up again, not leaving sight of her.

"Castle..." she said in a murmur. "I need you to know-"

"Shhh, don't do that. You sound like you're about to do your last confession. You're gonna make it."

"How can you say that when I have my foot used as a trigger for a bomb?"

"Because I'm not losing you today, I can tell you that," he said more seriously than he had ever been that day. Or even that week. "And we still haven't tried that number six on our sexy Bucket List. So we can't die yet. Okay?" he said, taking her hands. "Breathe normally," he told her seeing she was holding her breath at times. "That's good," he said cracking a little smile.

**_To Be Continued..._**

**_Reviews are always appreciated! :)_**


	2. Chapter 2

_Wow, thank you so much for the great reviews already! :) I hope you'll enjoy that chapter just as much. _

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**CHAPTER 2**

Castle and Beckett were still looking at each other, in silence, holding hands. It had already been ten minutes. And still no sign of anyone. All they knew was that the team and the experts were on their way. They had complained about time going by too fast... Well it seemed time was now making fun of them. Ten minutes had just felt like an eternity.

"Okay... Let's think. What if... What if I slip something between your foot and that plate? That way you can take your foot away. We'll maintain pressure on it, long enough for us to find something heavy to put on it," Castle suggested.

"I think I'd rather wait for a bomb disposal expert to tell me what to do, Castle. No offense but..."

"None taken. Don't worry." Castle looked around him, trying to find anything that could help them. "Maybe he's got a user manual somewhere that says which wire to cut-"

Castle and Beckett both startled when they heard his phone ring. They instinctively looked down at her foot. Sudden movements were not welcome in a situation like this.

"You should take it," she nodded. "I'm not going anywhere," she joked letting his hands go.

Castle picked up and put the speaker on.

"Finally! Where are you?"

"Hey, bro, how is she doing in there?" Esposito asked, concerned.

"Great, she's having fun playing Red Light, Green Light. Man, that light's been red for a long time now..." he said eyeing nervously at it. "Trust me, Beckett's gonna beat us all at this game at our next police picnic! You're on speaker by the way."

"Okay so listen. We're right outside the building. The squad is getting ready. A guy is about to join you."

They could hear some noises in the background and voices. Ryan, Lanie and Gates were all gathered around Esposito, who was also on speaker.

"Mr Castle, you need to get out. We cannot-" Captain Gates insisted.

"No way," Castle retorted, just like he had done when Kate had asked him to leave.

"We cannot guarantee your safety," she went on.

"Don't worry. I signed some papers on my first day at the precinct. The NYPD is not responsible for anything that could happen to me. No one's gonna sue you if I'm blown into pieces."

"At least come out to take a walkie-talkie with you. We need to be able-"

"No freaking way!" he repeated more aggressively. "I'm not leaving her side for a second," he said looking at Kate, who smiled in gratitude. "You want me to have one, bring it yourself. Plus, why would we need one? I've got my phone. That's enough. It's working pretty well right now."

"Yeah, just change your ringtone... please," Kate whispered.

She couldn't take the risk of dying because a stupid scary ringtone.

"My contract says unlimited talk time," he joked. "We have all the time in the world! But... I have to say I wouldn't mind if we could get out of there _soon_."

"You'd be on the same frequency as the squad, so we would all be able to communicate together," she explained keeping a calm tone. "It would be much easier-"

"No thanks. Do a conference call if you want. _I am not leaving_," he insisted on every word to make himself clear.

"Okay, we hear you, buddy. Do you need anything?" Ryan asked to calm him down.

"Yeah. I'd take a cheeseburger with fries. Beckett? What do you want? Double dose of coffee maybe?" Kate smiled shyly at him. He was just as scared as she was. His coping mechanism was back. "What do you think we need? A guy who walks in here and disarms this bomb."

"Kate, it's Lanie. How are you?"

"Oh oh..." Castle did hearing her voice. "A medical examiner... that's not good. They asked you to come to work on our bodies... in case we don't make it? Where's Perlmutter? I'm sure he'd love to dissect my brain to find out what was wrong with me. Though I'm not sure there would be a lot of it left when... you know," Castle said with a wince thinking about what they would look like.

"I'm here as a friend, Castle," she said in a calm and reassuring voice.

"It's okay Lanie. We're okay," Kate said very softly. "Where... Where's that guy that's supposed to join us?" she asked with a shiver in her voice.

"Gearing up now. He should be with you in a few minutes," Esposito reassured her.

"Mr Castle, it would help if you could send us a picture of the device," Gates said.

Beckett and Castle shared a concerned look. What did that mean?

"Why?" he asked. "The guy will see it when he gets here."

"They would like to see what it looks like first. So they know what they're dealing with. Simple precaution so that they don't walk in there blind."

Castle sighed. That meant he wasn't coming soon. There was another delay, adding another few minutes to this torture as they needed time to study the mechanism.

"Fine, I'm doing it now," he said before hanging up.

He kneeled back down and tried to take pictures of the device beneath her feet, the casing and the dozen wires.

"Let's hope they like what they see," Kate said as he sent the photos.

# # # # #

It had been another fifteen minutes. Castle was checking his watch more and more often. They had got the word that the expert was about to walk in.

Kate could feel the muscles in her leg burning. She felt she was about to break. She could already feel some shakes in her leg. Castle noticed it.

"You hold just a little while longer, Kate," he whispered to her. "You hold! It's been more than a half hour now. You just need a few more minutes. Look at me," he said seeing she was closing her eyes. "Just a few more minutes."

"What if..." she started, looking him in the eyes, still holding his hands, "what if he's not coming because there's nothing he can do?"

Castle's heart raced. It was something he did not want to consider. He shook his head. This could not happen.

"He's an expert. He knows what he's doing," he said. "He'll find a way."

"But our suspect is also an expert-" she said sounding like she was losing faith.

The man who had invented that device had been a member of a bomb disposal unit for more than twenty years. He knew their techniques. He knew how to get round them.

"It's gonna be fine. It has to. We're both gonna walk out of here." Kate was nodding but he could feel she was not believing it. He could see her eyes getting moist. "Hey... _Even on the worst day, there's always a possibility for joy. _You know who taught me that?" he said with a tender smile. "A little stickman I met a few months ago." Kate chuckled at these words but it was hard for her to keep her focus. "He belongs to a wonderful woman. A strong, determined woman that I had the chance to meet almost five years ago now. She's changed my life. So I will never let her down. Even on the worst moment. On the worst day. Because there's always a possibility for a happy ending. Always."

Kate closed her eyes and tried to picture her little stickman. She was the most optimistic of the two. She could not give up that easily. Castle nodded as she saw Kate was slowly getting her usual determination back. He squeezed her hands a little stronger before looking over her shoulder.

"Here he comes," he told her with a smile. "Welcome! Thanks for coming. How are you?" Castle exclaimed, nervous.

"Hi. I'm Steven Stagner," he said very softly staying in the doorway. "I'm gonna approach slowly and take a look at the device. I will ask you not to move, you hear me?" Kate nodded. That was what she had been doing all along. No need to change now, especially since she knew the consequences. She couldn't see him as he was coming from behind. She did not want to risk to turn around just to see his face. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better... My leg is itching, hurting a bit."

"It's completely normal. From what we saw, we should expect a twenty-minute intervention."

"What?!" Castle exclaimed. Kate sighed of desperation. "You can't do it faster? She's exhausted. How long do you think she'll last like this?"

"I understand your frustration but speed is not our friend here. We studied the device. It's complex. Don't forget it's been made by a professional. We need to take every precaution."

His voice had a regular serenity. He was not raising his voice, making sure to keep the same tone to reassure them. After a few cautious steps, he had finally joined them and could now face Beckett.

"At least... that means there's no timer. Right?" Kate asked.

"That's right. I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to be absolutely honest with you before I start. In a sense... you're the timer. You're the detonator. It's a race against exhaustion and pain for you. It needs to be crystal clear for you... that our lives depend on you," he said looking her in the eyes. This man was putting his life at risk and had no assurance of getting out alive. He gave her a few seconds to internalize it. "If you feel you are about to loose it, I'm gonna have to ask you to say it loud and clear." Kate nodded vigorously, holding her breath. She did not want to be responsible for their deaths. If she could not get out of there alive, at least they could. "Good. I'll start right away. Sir, you need-"

"I'm not leaving," Castle cut him off, looking him straight in the eyes.

**_To Be Continued..._**

**_Reviews are always appreciated! :)_**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Agent Stagner nodded as he respected Castle's decision to stay by her side. He had been briefed before coming in. He would meet a man who was reluctant to leave and he did not need to insist as there was almost no chance to change his mind.

"Okay. I'm ready. Kate," he started, calling her by her first name to gain her confidence. "Do you want me to comment what I'm doing? Or do you prefer not to know?"

Kate could not look at him. Being able to see what he was doing was even worse. What if he cut the wrong wire? What if he let go of a tool and made her startle? What if there was nothing to do? There were so many ifs, so many things that could go wrong. She felt that witnessing him touching that device was like being awake during her own surgery. Like feeling the first incision, as he would try to strip a wire. Like witnessing a surgeon cutting her artery, if he cut the wrong one... Kate shook her head, avoiding to look him in the eyes.

"No, I- I don't want to know. Just... do what you have to, please."

"Very well," he said with a sympathetic smile.

"Do you... Do you need complete silence or... can we talk?" Castle asked as agent Stagner kneeled down and prepared his tools.

"I don't mind you talking. Just pretend I'm not here. If you feel more comfortable talking to keep your mind busy, go ahead. I completely understand. It could even been a good thing," he said before quickly looking at Kate, in order to make Castle understand it could be good for her.

Castle noticed Kate looking away, her clenching her jaw as the expert was making his first move on the device. He needed to keep her mind busy, he needed her to focus on something else. Anything else.

It was a team effort. Stagner was in charge of the material aspect of the situation, Castle of the mental one and Kate of the physical one. They all had a part in this. They needed to work hand in hand to get out of here alive.

"How about we go over the case again?" Castle suggested, since they now had new elements. "Hm... We know that-"

"Not now, Castle. I can't think," she said rather sharply.

"Okay," he said gently, nodding. "Sorry."

"Parker, do you copy?" agent Stagner asked talking into his mike.

_"Yeah, Stagner. We hear you. Status report."_

"We've got a problem," he said straightening up.

Kate and Castle looked at each other with fear and instinctively squeezed each other's hands stronger. They were hanging to his every word.

"What's wrong?" Castle asked under his breath.

It felt like a false start. He had barely started and was already facing a problem.

"We saw a white wire and a yellow wire on the pictures, is that correct?" the expert kept communicating with his team, ignoring Castle's question.

_"Correct."_

"Negative. They are both white," he explained.

The man at the other end of the line did not answer immediately. This silence made Castle's and Beckett's heart beat even faster. And they were already racing.

_"You are saying there are two white wires and no yellow wire. I repeat, no yellow wire?"_

"Correct. It's pretty dark in here. Light must have fooled us."

_"Roger that. We're working on it. We'll get back to you."_

"Copy. Standing by."

"Standing by? What does that mean?" Castle asked, barely able to breathe as he waited for his explanation.

Steven looked up at Kate. They could see he was sorry but for now there was not much he could do.

"That means you're gonna have to hold a little longer than we expected."

Kate was near breaking point. Her nerves were tested. Her physical resistance too. She buried her face into her hands, and exhaled strongly. She was ready to burst into tears.

"Castle..." she whispered.

"No, no, it's okay. You can do this."

"I... I don't know how much longer I can hold..." she said bending her head down.

Her leg was itching so bad she was dying to move it, just an inch... And her sole was burning.

"Look at me. Come on, hang in there. Kate, you've seen worse than that. We've already been to hell and back together. We can do it again, I know it. It's just a little delay," he told her. "What's wrong?" he asked looking at the expert.

"We need to go over it again as our projection may be wrong as to what each wire is connected to. He messed up with the _standard_ colors, probably on purpose to deceive us. My team is working on it as we speak. I'm gonna take another look at it. Kate, I need you to hang in there. We're doing as fast as we can."

She never thought standing still for hours was so painful. The stress, the anxiety, the pressure were adding even more obstacles to overcome.

"How do I know..." she said, a lump in her throat. "How do I know how much longer I can hold? You said to warn you if-"

"No, no... Kate. You can hold longer than that," Castle said, panicky.

She couldn't give up already. Not her. Not the Kate Beckett he knew.

"Only you can know," Stagner said in all honesty. "We don't feel your pain. We're not in your head. Only you can know how far you can go. And how far you're willing to go."

It was all about will and determination. The mental part was almost more challenging than the physical one at this point. Giving up was suicide. Was she ready for it?

# # # # #

Esposito was pacing up and down the same little square of ground, over and over again. They did not know what was going on inside. They had seen the guy walk into the building ten minutes ago. And they still knew nothing, except they had not heard any deflagration. That was a good sign. But he was tired of being kept in the dark.

"What do you think is going on in there?" Ryan asked.

They had been advised not to call while their man was working on the bomb. Disarming that bomb demanded precise movements that couldn't be jeopardized by a ringtone.

"I don't know and it's killing me," Esposito answered before heading towards the command post. "Hey," he said, gently addressing one of the team members. "Where are we on disarming that bomb? What's going on?" he asked, noticing that the seven other guys were back working on their schematics.

"We hit a snag but we're working on it," he explained. "The good thing is that there's no timer. So the only time restriction we have is your partner's resistance."

"What problem, exactly?"

"Sir, I understand you're anxious here but I can tell you we're doing everything we can."

"How long do you think it's gonna take?" he asked more tense, as Ryan approached.

"We can't predict-"

"Come on, give me something! A window. Is it closer to ten minutes or an hour?"

The agent looked successively at Ryan and Esposito, who were almost begging for some information.

"The intervention itself should take around twenty minutes. And we still have a few details to figure out before our man can start."

Esposito did the math. At least half an hour should go by before they knew for sure if Beckett and Castle were safe and out of harm's way.

"Have you... Have you already experienced this kind of device?" Ryan asked.

"Never. This guy's a pro, and I'm sorry to say, a little genius when it comes to building a bomb. It adds more difficulties for us but we're gonna get our work done. We've had people stepping on mines that we had to disarm but this is different."

"And... how long do they generally hold?" Ryan asked, looking at his watch.

More than an hour had already gone by since Castle had made that first call.

"Every individual has a different physical and mental resistance. There's no rule. You know her better than me."

"Come on, you know her, Javi," Ryan said, giving him a little tap. "She's a fighter. She won't give up. And Castle's in there with her. She's gonna be okay."

Esposito nodded, wanting to believe him. Kate was more than a partner or a supervisor for them. She was a friend. There were two friends in that hangar that they did not want to lose.

"Can we... stay around? Have an eye on what's going on?" Esposito asked, leaning to catch a glimpse at their monitor.

"Please," Ryan added.

# # # # #

Stagner had received the green light. He could start the procedure. It was time for Castle to come into play again, to help Kate focus on other things than this man working on saving her life.

"What... What was that story again you told me, of you going skiing with your parents?" Castle asked, wanting her to shift her focus on good memories. "You got lost right? Always being at the other end of the piste?" he chuckled.

Her parents. Kate thought about her father. It was often said that there was nothing worse than losing a child. She couldn't help but think of the pain her father would endure if she didn't make it. Castle felt her grip on his hand loosening as she let it go to reach her pocket. He kept looking at her every move. She took her phone in her hand, staring at it for a minute.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a nervous smile.

"I think I should call my father," she said very softly keeping her eyes on her phone.

Castle swallowed hard at her words. He could feel his body shaking as he realized she sounded more and more resolute... to give up.

"What for?" he asked, putting his hand on her phone to catch her attention. "Kate, you don't want to tell him what you're going through. You don't want to worry him. You'll tell him that story when we get out. It's gonna make a very suspenseful and dramatic story to tell at family reunions."

Kate slowly looked up at him. She was almost emotionless.

"I want to hear his voice."

"Yeah and... what, you'll have an ordinary conversation? What will you say when he asks how you're doing? _Oh I'm doing great, just doing paperwork_? Kate..." he whispered trying to dissuade her.

She wouldn't listen to him. Kate put the phone to her ear anyway. Castle closed his eyes in despair, sighing deeply. She was listening to the tone, eager to hear his reassuring voice. But it only kept ringing. Kate closed her eyes in her turn, a tear running down her cheek. Was the universe really gonna be that cruel with her? Everything seemed to be going wrong. She eventually heard his voice. On his voicemail.

Castle felt relieved. Maybe it would push her to hold longer, with the hope and will of seeing her father again, of hearing his voice again.

**_To Be Continued..._**

**_Reviews are always appreciated! :)_**

* * *

_I know some of you want to see more from Beckett, want to see her tell Castle how much she loves him. It's coming. Don't worry. :)_


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

* * *

Castle delicately reached out for her hand again as she put her phone away. Kate seemed to be lost in her thoughts, a hint of a smile appearing on her face. It seemed hearing her father's voice, even if it was just on a voicemail, had appeased her a bit.

"You know... I always knew that our luck would turn one day. I mean with everything we've been through already... it couldn't go on like that forever. We couldn't always win."

"It hasn't turned yet," Castle said sounding like he truly believed it.

"Really? Look around you, Castle."

"Yeah, let's look around us. We're still here. People are working on saving your life as we speak. Our friends are waiting for us outside. I say it could be worse."

"How?" Kate asked.

"Well..." he said taking a minute to think about it. "We could be stuck here, in a _freezing_ hangar, handcuffed to each other, with a tiger wanting to eat us... and a _ticking_ dirty bomb in a corner." Kate chuckled as he combined all their worst experiences together. "I'll admit it's pretty unlikely but... that's what I would call bad luck," he said with a tender smile.

They had been through a lot together. But maybe this was it. The end of their journey and crazy adventures.

# # # # #

It had become a challenge, a competition between the bomb disposal unit and the suspect, as his ingenuity was pushing them to surpass themselves. They had just hit another snag. Another problem had arose. A step of the procedure had been compromised as the bomber definitely knew their methods. The only way to go round it was to analyze the device in details to find a contingency plan or to interrogate the man who had created it. Stagner was busy doing the former, while the latter was underway at the command post. Uniforms had found the guy and had brought him to the scene where a member of the unit was interrogating him.

"What's he saying?" Esposito asked to the same agent he had asked the first information on the development of the intervention.

"Nothing I'm afraid. He's not cooperating."

Ryan and Esposito shared a look. They understood each other without saying a word.

"Let us talk to him, please."

The agent thought about it for a minute before stepping aside to let them walk to him. He would want to do the same if one of his men had stepped on that trigger.

Ryan and Esposito approached the suspect, who was sat handcuffed. He looked like a respectable man, in his fifties.

"Do you know who's inside?" Esposito asked straight off.

The man slowly looked up at him. It was already hard for Esposito to refrain himself but the smile he saw on the guy's face made it even worse.

"I guess it's your partner otherwise you wouldn't be talking to me," he said in a serene voice.

His self-control was almost scary. He had probably gained it with his training back in the days.

"Actually there are two," he said.

"One of them is a civilian," Ryan added to try to gain some sympathy from him.

"So he can't be your partner."

"He is," they said at the same time.

"Sounds complicated," the suspect said on the same tone as the rest, very serenely.

He sounded like he was speaking in slow motion. He was taking his time, like there was no hurry whatsoever.

"Oh, it's too complicated for him! Maybe we should try to make ourselves clear," Ryan said turning to Esposito.

"It's very simple. Two of our partners, two of our friends are in there. If they don't make it, I will enjoy every minute of making you pay for it."

"I'll second him," Ryan added pointing to Esposito.

"One of them could already be safe. Only one person can step on that plate. The other one is free to go."

"We tried to convince him to come out but he wouldn't. He refuses to leave her. Actually, maybe it's best for you if he stays inside for now. You wouldn't want to meet him," Esposito explained.

"I'm sure he would get out though, just for a minute if we told him you were here," Ryan said.

"Let me tell you about the woman who's stuck in there with your bomb," Esposito said. "She became a cop after her mother was murdered. She spent days and nights hunting down the people responsible for it. She became the youngest woman to ever make homicide detective in the NYPD. She's dedicated her life to justice, to others. She's survived a sniper shot. Tell me, does it sounds to you like she deserves to die? Is that the kind of people you fight against?"

"He asked you a question," Ryan insisted.

"Maybe not, but she stepped on it... Too bad. Listen, you're wasting your time. You think you'll make me talk?" he scoffed. "A riffraff becoming a cop..." he said staring at Esposito with disdain. "You think I'm scared of you?"

"Former special forces. How do you like that?" Esposito told him straight in his eyes, getting even closer.

The suspect nodded, almost in admiration.

# # # # #

Beckett was struggling and not only physically. She had a decision to make. It could well be she was never going to walk out of here. Maybe it was time to tell him, to be completely honest with him, to put on the table what they had never talked about before. But what if she did and they somehow managed to get out of this nightmare alive? Could it change the way he would look at her? Seeing how back luck had been doing nothing but worsen, she thought it was now or never.

"I'm sorry," Kate said with an awkward smile.

"Don't be. Anyone could have stepped on this. It's not your fault-" he said squeezing her hand.

"Not about this. I'm sorry... I lied to you, that I pretended not to hear you, that I pushed you away for months-"

"Not now," Castle said shaking his head.

"Now is the perfect time, Rick. Face it." Castle looked down, shaking his head in denial. This was not happening. It couldn't. "I was scared. I wanted it so badly but I was scared that going forward would ruin what we already had," she said with a quavering voice. And yet she seemed so peaceful. At peace with herself. "I was wrong!" she smiled. "You're the best thing that happened to me," she said letting his hand go to softly caress his cheek, looking lovingly at him.

Castle was staring at her. Hearing those words from her warmed him, moved him. But he wished it were in different circumstances.

"I'm so gonna remind you of those words, every day of our _long_ life. Even when I'll walk with a cane, I'll remind you of what you just said now. But... really, if you've got something to tell me, you'll do it at home."

"Coming to your place that night was the best decision I ever made," she went on ignoring his request. "I wish... I wish I had done it sooner," she said pursuing her lips. "There were... there were so many opportunities that I let slip away. So many things we've never talked about, we just... pretended it never happened."

"Kate, listen to me. Don't do this. I... We're gonna go through this. We're both gonna go home tonight. So we'll talk about it. If you want to talk, we'll talk. But-"

"I would always cut you off..." she thought out loud.

"But we'll do it at home, with a nice glass of wine," he laughed nervously.

"Every time I felt you were about to say it, I cut you off. Like when you visited me at the hospital after I got shot... I saw it in your eyes. You said my name so gently, you were about to ask me if I had heard it or you were about to say those words again, I don't know. But I cut you off before you could. I told you I needed to rest," Kate explained. Castle was inevitably brought back to that moment. She was right. He was about to say it again. "When... When we were on that freezer, with that tiger, you thought we weren't gonna make it, you apologized for not finding another way out of this. You remember?" Of course he remembered. "You said my name again. I cut you off. Same thing in L.A., in that room, that night... I didn't want to hear it. Because I didn't want to have to face it. I was scared. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, that I didn't give you the opportunity-" she said, wincing at the pain she could feel in her sole and the shakes of her leg.

"Stop it!"

"Those months we've spent together proved me wrong. We could have had even more time together if only we had dared, if _I_ had dared-"

She was speaking faster, as thought she knew she was running out of time.

"We'll have plenty," Castle said with a unsteady voice. "We'll have plenty of time."

Kate chuckled. He was being optimistic, or just naive.

"Thank you. For brightening up my life... by being the most remarkable, egotistical, supportive, immature man I have ever met and I-"

"Well, my turn to cut you off," Castle said a little more sharply, not leaving her time to add anything more. "We're gonna make it. So stop it. Not that I don't like all those nice things you're saying about me, but it sounds too much like the words of someone about to..." _die_. The last word stayed stuck in his throat. It would not happen. Not today. "You... are Katherine Beckett. You... are the strongest woman I've ever met. You... are going home today! You hear me?"

She was not the only one to hear him.

Ryan, Esposito, Lanie and Gates were all gathered at the command post looking at the monitor on which they could see the footage filmed by the camera on Stagner's helmet, as he was working on the device. They could hear everything too since he had kept his communication line open, at all time. Gates could hear too. She looked down, hearing them share their personal feelings. It was crystal clear. She had noticed they were close, especially when Castle had struggled to find his abducted daughter. The hands squeezes, the hugs... She had suspected they were more than partners, even more than friends but she had turned a blind eye to it. She had kept quiet not to have to make a decision. The team discretely looked towards her, wondering what she would do now that she knew.

**_To Be Continued..._**

**_Reviews are always appreciated! :)_**

* * *

_I'm not as happy about this chapter as I am of the first three... or the next two. ;) Looks like it will be a six-chapter story. The next two are coming soon. :)_


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

* * *

It was quite ironic how the pain in her sole was excruciating and yet she couldn't feel anything in her leg. It felt like a part of her body was missing. Kate was gritting her teeth, drops of sweats were appearing on her forehead, as she was struggling against the pain in her body and the stress of the situation.

"Castle..." she whispered.

"Yeah, Kate. What is it? I'm here," he said squeezing her hand.

"I'd like you to walk out with him," she said with an unsteady voice. Time had come. "Yes, you can do it," she said seeing he was shaking his head as to say that this was impossible, unimaginable for him. "It's okay. Think about Alexis. You've got a daughter-"

"Kate, stop it," he said clenching his jaw.

"I can barely feel my leg," she said looking sorry.

Castle tightened his grip on her hands, tears filling his eyes. Kate wanted them to get out. Not feeling her leg meant not being able to control its movements.

"It's almost over. Please, just hold a little longer," he said, carefully coming closer, leaning his forehead against hers. "You can't let me down," he whispered to her almost pleading.

Kate straightened up to look him in the eyes for a moment.

"Stagner... I think it's-"

"No! No, don't say that," he told her as his heart raced. "Keep working," he ordered him. "How far are we from disarming it?" he asked.

"About five minutes away."

"You hear that Kate? Five minutes! What's five minutes? It's even less than your coffee break at the precinct. We always complain how quickly that break goes by. So five minutes-" he chuckled nervously.

"Rick..."

"I'll never walk out of here without you. You want to give up? Fine, but I'm staying," Castle told her determined as ever, without even a shiver in his voice.

He rolled the dice. He didn't want her to give up but he was sure of something. He trusted his instinct and he trusted her. He kept looking deep into her eyes to get his message across. Kate bit her lower lip, sobbing. Why was he making it so difficult? Why not simply walk out and let her go?

"Don't do that-"

"I'm not leaving," he repeated.

"Castle," she said in a sob, her eyes full of tears. "I don't want you to-"

"_Die_? I'm not gonna die!" he exclaimed sounding sure of himself. He leant forward trying to catch her eyes as she was looking down. "You know why? Because if you care about me the way I think you do, then you'll never take that foot off this plate. That's why I'm staying. Because I know you'll never do it as long as I'm here. Am I right?" Kate was now openly crying. He could read her like an open book, like a book he had written. "Am I right?!" he insisted.

This time his voice cracked as tears filled his eyes. Kate nodded shyly. That little nod was worth more than a thousands words. Or even three words. She had just admitted it without even saying it. Of course she couldn't do it. How could she take the life of someone she loved?

Lanie instinctively snuggled up to Esposito, who put his arm around her for comfort. He knew her partner well enough, she knew her friend well enough, to hear she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Castle could see it. Stagner could feel it. He looked up at Castle making him understand he needed to calm her down.

That's when they all caught a glimpse of Castle and Beckett on the monitor. Kate looked exhausted, Castle looked both determined and fighting not to show how devastated he felt. Esposito and Ryan shared a concerned look. Those last few minutes were the longest and most nerve-racking.

He needed to calm her down. Crying meant shaking. Shaking meant little movements that were not welcome. Even worse, if tired mentally, she could make uncontrolled moves as her body would relax. Castle nodded at Stagner, before the latter went back to the device.

"Hey," Castle said coming closer again. "Shhh," he murmured.

He wanted to take her in his arms, to rock her slowly but he couldn't. If she let herself go, she could move that leg, that foot without even being aware of it. He brushed her hair behind her ear, gently caressed her cheek and kissed her softly. Castle was whispering. Kate had closed her eyes, full of tears.

"My turn to admit something," he paused, still caressing her cheek. "Our first kiss. When I said _That was amazing_... Really, I was talking about the kiss, not your ninja move. Though your ninja move was also pretty impressive... Your turn," he said very gently.

If she wanted to get it straight, he thought maybe he should too. Talk. That was a good way of keeping her mind focused elsewhere. Kate looked up at him as he was wiping her tears.

"I also wished their were hickeys..." she said speaking about that mark left in their neck during the case involving _men in black_.

She chuckled and sniffled back her tears.

"I think you should know, I did some mouth-to-mouth on you when I got you out of the water, you know when our car got pushed into the River. I didn't take advantage of you," he reassured her. "But I thought you should know."

"I came back. In L.A... that night we had a talk on the couch and it was becoming a little awkward... I cut you off and went to my room. Truth is I stood there behind the door... and I came back. But when I opened it, I saw yours closing."

Castle thought about this moment. It could have been it, their first night. The beginning. Or maybe it could have been even before that.

"After the... dirty bomb," he said, sorry to bring up that word again, "I was gonna invite you to dinner so we could talk about maybe trying something together because I had the feeling it could work... but then Josh walked in. So I just left wishing you good night."

Kate couldn't help but smile. She had had a similar moment.

"I was about to tell you that I had broken up with Demming and that I was ready to accept your invitation to the Hamptons... when Gina walked in."

Castle stood gaping for a minute, playing that scene over and over again in his memory. That was what she wanted to talk about? She didn't want to wish him a good summer. She wanted to spend it with him. No wonder she was mad at him for not calling when he returned.

"Wait, _that's_ what you wa-"

"Alright, it should be good," the expert said standing up slowly.

Castle first instinct was to ask him for a minute as he was making it clear with Kate. But reason took over, for once. Castle and Beckett slowly moved their eyes on him, as though even a look could make the bomb go off. Castle was still speechless after Kate's latest revelation. He looked at them both successively.

"I... This... We'll talk about that again," he told her to make her understand this discussion was not over. "Wh- What do you mean _should_?" Castle asked agent Stagner.

"I did what I could. But given how clever the guy is there could still be a hidden mechanism inside. If there is, there's no way of reaching it."

"Great!" Castle exclaimed. "So it's still fifty-fifty."

"I'd say eighty-twenty."

Castle and Beckett looked at each other. Concern, fear could be read in their eyes. Hope... not much.

"Eighty being... good or bad?" Castle asked for an important clarification.

"Eighty per cent chance it's secured," he reassured them.

"Okay, maybe you should leave then. Just in case..." Castle told him.

"You need to go too, sir. No civilian is allowed-"

"I'm not. I'm half a cop. No way I'm leaving," he said looking deep into Kate's eyes.

"Sir..."

"I stayed by her side all along, you really think I'd leave at the most critical moment? Thank you for your concern, thank you for your work. Now... you should get out," Castle repeated with sympathy.

He had done his job, now it was time for him to walk safely out of it. Stagner looked successively at Kate and Castle several times.

"Okay. Good luck. See you on the other side," Stagner said before silently walking away, looking one last time towards them as he crossed the doorway.

"Castle you shouldn't be doing that," Kate was trying to make him leave again.

"I'm doing it. There's no place I'd rather be. I'm really proud of you, Kate," he whispered. "You've been incredible."

Beckett caressed his cheek, she loved doing this. Castle gently took her right hand off his cheek, taking it in his right hand, and held her left hand into his. Drawing the symbol of infinity without even knowing it.

They leant forward, forehead against forehead, matching their breathing. It was peaceful. Finally, they had some seconds of peace. Maybe before chaos... He moved his head to place his cheek against hers.

"I will pull you towards me and step back at the same time. Okay?" He could feel her nodding. "You're ready?" he whispered.

"Does it matter?" she asked with a chuckle as they stared at each other again. "Thank you... for staying," she said.

"Always," he said with a smile. They stared deep into each other's eyes. Comforting. It was simply comforting. "At three?"

"Wait. You mean... One, two, three... then go? Or... One, two and we go at three?" she asked smiling.

Castle let out a laugh. They were the same improbable team as Riggs and Murtaugh. They had watched_ Lethal Weapon_ the night before. Good training.

They were just inches away, almost forehead against forehead again. Kate leant forward to share what could be a last kiss. They made it last, enjoying it as much as they could.

"One," Castle said.

This was it. The moment they had been waiting for. The moment of truth.

"Two," Kate added after a few seconds.

And yet now that they had reached it, it felt worse. _No one's tomorrow is guaranteed._

"Three!" they yelled together as Kate jumped in Castle's arms who was pulling her with all his might.

They stayed glued to each other, their fingers almost crushing each other's bones as they were holding each other so tight. They had stopped breathing. All their muscles were contracted. Clenching their jaw, they didn't dare moving for fear of it not being over.

Castle eventually exhaled after a few seconds as nothing happened. Both of them nervously laughed and cried of joy. It was over.

She let herself go at his embrace, relaxing every muscle in her body. Castle took her head in his hands, looked deep into her eyes with a smile. They had made it. One more time. Kate let herself fall into his arms again as she sighed of relief. Castle was looking at that bomb responsible for the worst minutes of their lives.

But his smile slowly faded away.

"Kate..." he said in a breath. "Run," he told her, more seriously than he had ever been. "Run!" he yelled, taking her hand as he turned his back to the bomb to head towards the exit.

# # # # #

This couldn't be. It was only twenty per cent... Were they really so unlucky? Tears uncontrollably rolled down Lanie's cheeks when she heard the deflagration. Gates had startled as someone would when hearing a gunshot coming from nowhere in the middle of the night. They were all gaping, keeping their eyes locked on the smoke that was coming from the hangar, at the sound of concrete and metal falling on the ground.

"What just happened?" Esposito said under his breath.

**_To Be Continued..._**

**_Reviews are always appreciated! :)_**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

* * *

They all stayed flabbergasted for a few seconds at the sight of the chaos in front of them. Was it even real? Esposito turned around, gaping, when his eyes set upon the bomber. He was smiling, being in awe of his creation. It was too much. Esposito clenched his jaw and ran towards him. He couldn't control himself anymore. He gave him a first punch in the face. Two members of the squad held him back, preventing him from kicking the guy unconscious.

"What have you done?! You killed them!" he yelled.

The man straightened up, wiped the blood coming from his nose and smiled. He kept the same serene tone he had had all along.

"You step off that plate, nothing happens," he started slowly, taking his time as though he was taking pleasure in explaining his devious plan. "You don't notice the little green flickering light. You're too busy enjoying the fact that you're alive... and... then... boom!" he whispered before doing a sadistic laugh.

Esposito trashed about to punch him once more but he couldn't get out of the men's grip.

"This guy's insane!"

"Javi!" Ryan came running to try to calm him down. "Don't, he's not worth it."

"He's worth every-"

"Don't do that. Not now," Ryan said with a crack in his voice.

"You're dead," Esposito threatened him.

"Oh, no I'm very much alive. I believe it's your partners... who are dead," he said pointing towards the rubbles of the hangar, not taking his eyes off Esposito. "The female cop... and the civilian."

"Permission to kill him!" Esposito screamed, as he kept struggling to free himself from their grasp.

"Don't be a smart-ass," Captain Gates said on a menacing tone, looking daggers at the bomber as she approached. "You don't take out my people without paying for it. Dearly," she added.

# # # # #

A finger first, then the hand. Beckett's ears were whistling as she was slowly emerging from her unconscious state. She had difficulties to move, being dazed by the shock of the explosion. She was lying flat on her stomach, whining, her shoulder and head hurting. Kate coughed a few times because of the flying dust. She was slowly coming back to reality as she opened her eyes. Reality... Reality was scary. Reality involved Castle lay on the ground near her.

"Castle?" she asked barely hearing her own voice. "Castle!" she repeated, trying to wake him up. Kate winced in pain as she tried to turn to her side. She feared the worst when his arm, wrapped around her, fell on the ground. He was lying there, motionless. "No, no..." she whispered to herself, shaking her head in panic. "Castle, you hear me?"

He had asked her to run. Go run with a leg that hadn't moved for an hour and half... Maybe it was her fault. No, it _was_ her fault. He wanted to protect her and there he was. Kate shook him gently to wake him up.

"Rick?" she called again, hoping he would respond this time.

She sighed of relief when she saw his eyelids moving, as though he was getting ready to open his eyes.

"Yeah," he said in a sigh with a hoarse voice.

He looked around him without even moving his head, as he tried to get back to his senses. Where was he? What was he doing on the ground, surrounded by pieces of concrete? Castle slowly leant on his elbows, coughing.

"You're okay? You're hurt?" he asked Kate, who was staring at him like she was waiting to see if he was really alive or if she was hallucinating.

"I don't think so," she said trying to move her legs and arms. Nothing was broken. "I feel alright. You?"

"I'm great... given... the circumstances," he said slowly rolling on his back, whining in his turn. Nothing was broken either but his ankle and head were hurting as well. Lain on his back, he could see a little piece of blue sky where there used to be a ceiling. He thought this was a miracle. How long will they be able to dodge the inevitable? Death. "See... our luck hasn't turned yet," he chuckled. Kate let out a laugh. That was one way to look at it. "How about we get out of this hell?" he said looking at her.

"Right there with you," she said trying to stand up.

# # # # #

Lanie had stayed completely petrified, her eyes locked on the hangar, or what remained of it. The boys joined her after calming down from the confrontation with the bomber. That's when she saw two shadows moving in the middle of the ruins.

"Guys..." she said under her breath.

Lanie grabbed Esposito's arm and pointed towards what she believed were two silhouettes stepping across the rubbles.

"Yes..." he murmured, still not sure it was real. "Yes!" he exclaimed being able to recognize them as they walked out, covered with dust.

All the team could see was an OK sign from Castle in the distance, when two members of the unit joined them. The members of the squad made sure they were fine before they kept walking towards the hangar. Evidence needed to be collected as soon as possible.

Castle had his arm around Kate, who had hers around him. They were supporting each other, both physically and mentally. They always had. Kate stopped in her tracks to reach for her ringing cellphone in the pocket.

"Must be your dad," Castle joked, coughing one more time.

"It is," she said after seeing the caller ID. "Hi, dad!"

"_Hey Katie. I saw you called. How are you?"_

Castle could hear them both as she was standing so close to him.

"I'm doing great."

It was something that a few minutes earlier, she thought she would never say again.

"_Not too overworked I hope?"_

"Don't worry, I'm in good hands," she said taking Castle's hand, while carefully avoiding to look him in the eyes.

"_I'm glad to hear it, sweetie."_

"Hey, I... I called to know if... you'd like to have breakfast together tomorrow?"

She sounded on the verge of breaking down. This was a discussion she thought she'd never have again. This was a voice she thought she'd never hear again.

"_Of course. You know I'd love to."_

"Good. The usual?" she shortened her answers for fear of her emotion being heard, for fear of losing it before she could hang up.

"_The usual. I'm sorry sweetie, I need to go. See you tomorrow?"_

"Tomorrow it is."

_"Say hi to Rick for me, will you?_"

"I will. Bye," she said with a shy smile.

Kate hung up and stared at her phone for a moment. His voice. His calm and reassuring voice. Hearing it felt like knowing for sure that everything was fine now. Everything was back to normal, almost.

"He says hi," she said looking up at Castle.

"I heard," he said with a smile. "You'll have a great story to tell."

"Not sure I want to tell him. He's gonna freak out..."

Freaking out... She had too. They kept staring at each other for a minute. Castle turned round to see what remained of the hangar. He swallowed hard when he saw the ruins, when he saw where they were coming back from. They shared a smile, but Kate's was a little awkward. Castle could see her trembling chin. The stress and emotion was taking over. He simply reached out his arm as an invitation. Kate let herself fall in his arms and rested her head against his chest, against his beating heart. Castle could feel her entire body shaking. She was falling apart. She was letting it out. She was free to shake as much as she wanted now, there was no more trigger under her foot. Castle rocked her slowly, tightening his grip as her shakes increased.

"Shhh, it's over. It's over, Kate. Once again you proved your undeniable strength in there. What you did was incredible," he said very softly, kissing her on the temple.

"I never could have done it without you," she said with an unsteady voice. "Thank you."

"I love you Kate. So much," he said thinking back of the times he thought he was about to lose her. There had been a few just in the last hours.

"I love you too," she whispered, keeping her eyes closed. Buried in his arms, she felt safer than anywhere else. Castle was speechless. He pulled away very gently as though he had misheard. Kate looked down. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Castle was staring at her with amazement. She was beautiful, inside and out.

"You sorta did." Their eyes eventually met, which brought a smile on Castle's face. "Not with words... But you sorta did. Words's my thing, actions's yours."

She looked lovingly at him, remembering the words of a friend. The words she had herself uttered. _There are no victories, only battles... and if you're very lucky, you find someone who's willing to stand with you_. She was feeling very lucky.

Kate leant for a kiss, a passionate one, when they heard someone clearing their throat. They slowly pulled apart to see Captain Gates staring at them. Castle and Beckett looked at each other with panic. They had not thought of that. Of her...

"Detective Beckett, Mr Castle. I'm so glad you made it through," she said with a grin. "You've been remarkable, detective," she said taking Kate's hand in hers. Castle was looking at Kate with a look of admiration. He couldn't help it. "Your strength and determination are an example for all of us. I'm really proud to have you as one of my people."

"Thank you, Sir," she said shyly.

"Take the rest of the day. Even more if you need. You've deserved it. You'll come back when you're ready."

"I'm fine. I still need-"

Gates was shaking her head, before raising her finger to make her stop.

"You have the rest of the day off. So I don't want to see you at the precinct. Understood?" she asked with a smile. Kate simply nodded to agree. "Mr Castle," she said turning her eyes on him. She looked much more serious and a little less pleased. "A word please," she said turning around to have him follow her.

Castle reluctantly let Kate's hand go to follow the captain.

"Sir?" he asked intimidated, seeing her waiting for him with her arms crossed.

"What you've done here was reckless, foolish, irresponsible and I could go on like that for a long time!" she said sermoning him. She looked like she was not happy at all with him. Castle kept his eyes down, like a kid would when getting scolded by the principal. "But it was also incredibly courageous, daring I should say, and helpful. There is no doubt your presence helped her go through it alive." She nodded almost in gratitude. "I have to say I'm impressed. You're rising in my esteem, Mr Castle. Good work," she said holding out her hand to shake his. Castle hesitantly shook hands with her. It was unsettling. Coming from her, it sounded a little too nice. "Now take her home," she said very gently, eventually cracking a smile.

Castle had a hard time realizing what was happening. A smile slowly appeared on his face too.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you."

He gave her a nod but stood there, as though he did not know if he was allowed to walk away.

"Go, she's waiting for you," she said gesturing him to go join her. "_They_ are waiting for you."

Kate was staring at them, her arm around Lanie. Ryan and Esposito were all smile, standing next to the girls, excited to get their friends back.

"Mr Castle," Gates called him. He stopped halfway and turned to face her. "Are you sure you weren't a cop in another life?" she wondered.

"Who knows. Maybe it's in the genes. Someone on my father's side maybe," he said with a knowing smile.

Esposito hugged him as he joined the gang, giving him a manly pat on the back.

"Dude, you rocked!" he exclaimed, impressed. "You two have got more lives than a cat, you know that?" he said looking at them.

"Lucky bastards," Ryan said before laughing.

Castle and Beckett looked at each other, smiling. They nodded in agreement. It all came down to luck. And theirs hadn't turned yet. Castle kissed her gently. She looked at him to make him understand that _she_ was still around. _She_ could still see them.

"It's okay," he reassured her. "Actually I've been ordered to take you home," he told her. "So if you'll excuse us?" he said to the team.

"Yeah sure. You probably have a lot to talk about..." Esposito said under his breath.

"What do you mean?" Kate asked. She had heard.

"Nothing," Ryan jumped in. "Go get some rest."

Castle and Beckett had no idea that everybody had heard them and that their confessions had not been private.

# # # # #

Castle and Beckett were heading towards her car, impatient to get home to spend some peaceful time together. For a change...

"Oh, oh..." Castle placed himself between Beckett and the door of her car. "I'm driving," he said gesturing her to give him the keys as she took them out of her pocket.

"No you're not."

"Well, I was ordered to _take you_ home. Remember?"

"That doesn't mean you get to drive," Kate said on the defensive.

"Yes it does. Technically, I can't _take_ you home if I _passively_ sit in the passeng-"

"Castle!"

"Are you sure that's safe? I mean you're sure you've recovered all your sensations in your leg?" he asked. "Because a crazy leg on a throttle... that's a deadly combination."

"I'm fine," she reassured him.

"Yeah well... I'm not taking that chance. I just survived a bomb, I wouldn't want to die in a car accident on my way home."

"Castle, I can drive. I will drive. Like always," she said getting closer, with a menacing look. "Stop looking for an excuse, you're _not_ driving my car."

"I'm not getting in this car if _you're_ driving."

"Enough with the blackmailing today! You got what you wanted in there, but that's over," she said. He had been allowed to stay when she had wanted him to leave. He had been in a position of power. Not anymore. "Now get in the car," she said more firmly. "Or _walk_ home."

Castle opened his mouth to protest but it was not worth it. He stepped aside to let her open the door and take her regular seat, behind the wheel.

Lanie, Esposito and Ryan were laughing, staring at them argue like a married couple. They were fine. They were back to normal. Back to bickering.

_**The end.  
**_

**Reviews are always appreciated! :)**

* * *

_I knew there would be a lot of expectation for this last chapter. Sorry if it didn't reach yours. I did what I could. Hope you enjoyed._

_Anyway, I just want to thank you for taking the time to read this story. And thank you for the incredible reviews and feedback I got. To be honest, I didn't expect such a reception. You've been incredibly supportive. Thank you! It's been really fun to write. :)  
_


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